Dementia affects around one million people in the U.K., with more than half experiencing advanced stages of the condition.
These later stages often come with challenging behaviors like agitation, aggression, wandering, and resistance to care.
A new study has shown that music can play a key role in calming these behaviors and improving the quality of life for people with advanced dementia.
The research, led by Naomi Thompson from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and published in Nature Mental Health, is the first to explore in depth how and why music therapy works for people with advanced dementia.
The study offers practical steps for using music to help individuals and their caregivers.
Music therapy involves activities such as singing, playing instruments, or listening to music. These sessions are typically guided by trained therapists who can also teach families and caregivers how to integrate music into daily care routines.
Personalized music therapy has been found to reduce agitation and anxiety while boosting mood, alertness, and engagement. People with advanced dementia often feel safer and more comfortable when music is part of their environment, leading to a better sense of well-being.
The effects of music therapy are rooted in the brain’s response to music. Listening to or playing music stimulates both sides of the brain, helping individuals access memories and abilities that may otherwise seem lost.
This stimulation supports emotional regulation, reduces stress, and encourages calmness. Music tailored to an individual’s preferences, especially familiar songs from their younger years (ages 10–30), can evoke positive memories and feelings more effectively than other methods.
Music’s benefits go beyond the individual with dementia. It creates opportunities for social interaction between patients, caregivers, and care staff. Even when verbal communication becomes difficult, music remains a universal way to connect.
It can also help caregivers and staff feel less stressed, foster empathy, and improve relationships with those they care for. Moments shared through music can be deeply meaningful, offering a fresh way to interact outside of routine caregiving tasks.
The study involved interviews with caregivers and music therapists working in dementia wards, a review of existing research, and a survey of healthcare professionals across the U.K.
Researchers collaborated with Dementia UK, a charity specializing in nursing care for dementia patients, to ensure the findings were practical and applicable in real-world settings.
To make music therapy widely accessible, the study recommends training all care staff in its use.
Therapists could provide resources like musical instruments and help families create personalized playlists for their loved ones. This would allow music to be used in everyday care, even by those without musical experience.
Music therapy offers a cost-effective and simple way to improve life for people with dementia, particularly as the aging population grows.
It can act like a prescription, with therapists outlining specific “doses” of music throughout the day to reduce distress and enhance well-being.
Dr. Ben Underwood, a co-author of the study, emphasized the importance of this work: “People with advanced dementia can sometimes become very distressed, and we need effective ways to help them.
Music therapy is one such method, and I’m thrilled to see high-quality research focused on bringing this approach to NHS dementia patients.”
Music’s ability to calm, connect, and comfort makes it a powerful tool in dementia care. By incorporating it into everyday routines, caregivers and families can make a profound difference in the lives of those living with this challenging condition.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about inflammation that may actually slow down cognitive decline in older people, and low vitamin D may speed up cognitive decline.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about common exercises that could protect against cognitive decline, and results showing that this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
The research findings can be found in Nature Mental Health.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
